Ramanth, any news on the job for Andy yet? Good luck! And just an afterthought - Terry Prachett ( the author you are enjoying right now) was recently diagnosed with Alzeimers so please spare a kind thought and a prayer for him too.

Catty1, thinking of you and Amberlee, how did your friend's surgery go?

I've been Boo'd... right off the stage!

Aaahh, I have been defrosted! Thank you, Bonny and Asiel!
Brrrr, I've been Frosted! Thank you, Asiel and Pomtzu!

"That's the power of kittens (and puppies too, of course): They can reduce us to quivering masses of Jell-O in about two seconds flat and make us like it. Good thing they don't have opposable thumbs or they'd surely have taken over the world by now." -- Paul Lukas

Thanks everyone. The AC officer didn't show up last night. He left a message saying he needs to get a statement from me. I've already got one typed out. The day shift officer won't take it. I just talked to him so I have to wait til the right officer is on duty again. I left a message for him saying he can come out any time tonight or call me and I"ll come into his office. I have nothing to hide(except a couple cats since I have too many of them according to the AC bylaw!) and he or any of his collegueges are welcome on my property anytime.

Mac was loose running beside the team on Monday morning, something he has done for four years without any problems. On this day, if it could go wrong, it did. Mac was not being aggressive, he was playing(tail up, playbowing ect), but his behavior was towards a small child and therefore completely unacceptable. I'm still trying to figure out why the mother grabbed her dog(unsuccessfully, I might add as the dog got into the team and Tehya has a puncture wound on her leg from him) yet she left her toddler son standing alone on the far side of the trail with eight large dogs she's never seen before approaching him. No one besides Tehya was injured. The child was scared but physically unharmed. However, Mac's behavior under our local AC bylaw is enough to designate him a dangerous dog.

I know dogs who have done much worse, including intentionally inflicting injury, and they were given second chances. I am hoping that my history with animal control helps and that Mac will be given a reprieve as well. We've never even had a simple noise complaint before; several of the dogs came from the AC pound, including Tehya and Heyoka; Stuart has worked with them frequently. We're properly liscenced and have the support of my immediate neighbors and my vet.

I am fully prepared to accept responsibility for his behavior. He was way out of line and as his owner, that's my fault. I'll pay whatever fine they want to dish out, implement whatever handling and confinement rules they want for Mac. He's never getting off-leash again in any case. I don't believe Mac is dangerous and I will fight that designation. However, if it comes right down to it, I'll do whatever they want as long as they don't want to euthanize him.

If you are lucky enough to find a way of life you love, you must find the courage to live it.
--John Irving

I wanted to add a very sweet man that I've actually met before. He's the Chief Meteorologist of our local News station, Dick Fletcher. He had a stroke on Monday and from what my neighbor said he does not sound to good (she works for the News station.)

Please keep him in your thoughts - the news certainly isn't and wouldn't be the same without him.